IDRCUpdates from IDRC
Monkeypox Rapid Research Response
Following the global outbreak of Monkeypox, IDRC and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) launched a call for proposals to support a rapid research response in Canada and Africa. The main objective of the call was to support Canadian and African researchers in providing rapid evidence to inform clinical and health system management and the public health response, and/or decision-making and planning to address Monkeypox. The deadline to receive full proposals was September 7, 2022. Proposals that met the eligibility criteria were sent to an independent scientific review panel. A total of up to CAD5.84 million will be awarded to the successful applications.
IDRC grant to developing equitable and responsible artificial intelligence solutions
At a time when the risk of emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases is increasing, an international team led by York University successfully competed to receive a CAD7.25 million grant from IDRC to help tackle the issue. This grant will enable the research team to work alongside countries in the Global South to develop equitable and responsible artificial intelligence solutions and big data approaches to improve public health outcomes.
IDRC participation at the World Health Summit
On October 17 at the 2022 World Health Summit in Berlin, IDRC, in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson and the World Health Organization (WHO), held a panel session entitled “Strengthening Pandemic Preparedness & Response: Lessons from Ebola and COVID-19 Outbreaks”. The goal of the session was to examine lessons from Ebola and COVID-19 response measures using expert views from policymakers, funders and researchers who contributed toward the control of these historic outbreaks to advance the discussions and tools in preparation for future pandemics.
Panelists included Liberia’s Minister of Health, Dr Wilhemina S. Jallah; the WHO’s Chief Scientist, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, and IDRC’s Director of Global Health, Dr John Dusabe-Richards among others.
